Where do you think we are going?How will we evolve in the future?Will we merge with machines or remain in our biological bodies and continue to evolve naturally?Will we use genetic modification to change ourselves into something that can no longer be described as human?What is the boundary between human and post-human?

Just some interesting questions to ponder .

My personal opinion is that we will start to merge with machines in the relatively near future (It is in a way already happening.) and with the development of nanotechnology we can start to create machines that are more easily integrate-able to the human body.

We will probably have cellphones wired directly into our bodies relatively soon, not to mention AR-Contact-lenses. Maybe in 20-30 years we will have personal computer wired directly into our brain with the GUI projected into our retinas. Our brains could be connected to the internet at all times anywhere using 4G (or better) network.

We could become almost immortal with nanobots maintaining our bodies. Nanobots could be designed to multiply inside our bodies and repair or replace all dead cells. They could cure almost every disease and repair dead brain cells, maybe even make our brain work better than it would normally. Imagine losing a limb in an accident. With the use of nanobots you would't be crippled for the rest of your life since they could just grow it back. Imagine how easy it would be to colonize other worlds since human body could be modified to breathe different gases and sustain different temperatures. Interstellar travel would be a breeze since you could live virtually forever.

Maybe in a more distant future we could become a species with a global consciousness that works trough the "internet". We would still be individuals but our brain would be connected to everyone else on the planet so all memories, experiences and ideas would be shared instantaneously. It would form a "hive-mind" for the entire species and when humans colonized other planets, those planets would have a hive-mind of their own, which could then communicate with each other, which would then in essence create a interplanetary "super hive-mind". Every planetary system would be a "Person" made out of smaller "persons", which in turn are made out of humans. Each planetary system would be able to "speak" with other planetary systems, but because of the distance between stars, they couldn't merge as a single mind.

My imagination is getting out of hand again, but i just love to think about stuff like this .

I have much to say on this topic, but right now I am very tired so I only have one small comment

Quote (Antza2)

It would form a "hive-mind" for the entire species and when humans colonized other planets, those planets would have a hive-mind of their own, which could then communicate with each other, which would then in essence create a interplanetary "super hive-mind"

The problem with a hive mind is communication lag. You want to have latency be as low as possible, at least as low as in a biological brain, so a collective consciousness would not be very practical over an area greater than a few hundred or few thousand kilometers.

The problem with a hive mind is communication lag. You want to have latency be as low as possible, at least as low as in a biological brain, so a collective consciousness would not be very practical over an area greater than a few hundred or few thousand kilometers.

Maybe we'll find a way to use quantum-entanglement for lag-free communication

When you think about it people already are "merging" with machines. There are pace makers and artificial limbs to help people live if injured so we can pretty much say that we're getting into that era of splicing man and machine.

As for the whole "hive-mind" idea i can honestly say im against it. I just dont like the idea of losing the individuality every human has.

Future is full surprises ! History is turning and we don't have any idea of how the world could looks like in 2100. So nmany scenarios are possible...

Quote (Antza2)

We could become almost immortal with nanobots maintaining our bodies.

I don't like the idea of immortality. And this could be desastrous for humanity. Imagine, if you are immortal, everything you can do, you say you can do it later, 'cause you have an infinite time, so everybody are going to do anything. And as we know we could die one day, it makes life more enjoyable.

As for the whole "hive-mind" idea i can honestly say im against it. I just dont like the idea of losing the individuality every human has.

I understand that it can be scary. For some reason i just like the idea. Just think the possibilities it would offer. Let's look at ants for example. Some ant-species can make hives that are kilometers from end to end, but when you take a single ant from it's hive you find out that it does't have almost any kind of coordination or intelligence. Yet together they can make something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRyR8q5tVO4

I don't like the idea of immortality. And this could be desastrous for humanity. Imagine, if you are immortal, everything you can do, you say you can do it later, 'cause you have an infinite time, so everybody are going to do anything. And as we know we could die one day, it makes life more enjoyable.

By immortal i mean you don't die of old age. You can still be killed by damage.

Imagine, if you are immortal, everything you can do, you say you can do it later, 'cause you have an infinite time, so everybody are going to do anything.

So the only reason that people do anything is because they know they will die? I know that I do the things that I do because I think that they are good things to do, or because I want to do them, not because I feel obligated to do them before I die. If we can eliminate suffering in the world and allow everyone to have a meaningful life, then being able to exist indefinitely could be wonderful, depending on the circumstances.

I understand that it can be scary. For some reason i just like the idea. Just think the possibilities it would offer. Let's look at ants for example. Some ant-species can make hives that are kilometers from end to end, but when you take a single ant from it's hive you find out that it does't have almost any kind of coordination or intelligence.

Ants are very different and yet similar to humanity. As far as i know the human race has always adapted things from what they see in nature. But the difference is that if you take a single person out of the crown he wont be without coordination or intelligence.

Exactly because of what the human race has observed in insect colonies and sorts it was able to build and expand. Because of people working together. Im not sure if ants use a single collective consciousness though. But people already use the technique of sharing an idea to make it a reality. We use every communication device and network to make the best decisions.

If you are referring to the way the Geth were built in Mass Effect well.. you probably figured out that it didnt work out well lol

Maybe we'll find a way to use quantum-entanglement for lag-free communication

As far as science can tell you can't do that.

Quote (lexrazor)

As for the whole "hive-mind" idea i can honestly say im against it. I just dont like the idea of losing the individuality every human has.

I agree with this, a hivemind will be possible this century but I would prefer it if we left individuality in the mix. Even if the human species goes beyond human, individuals will always have a unique thought process.

Quote (Voekoevaka)

I don't like the idea of immortality. And this could be desastrous for humanity. Imagine, if you are immortal, everything you can do, you say you can do it later, 'cause you have an infinite time, so everybody are going to do anything. And as we know we could die one day, it makes life more enjoyable.

I disagree. Everyday around 100,000 or more people die from age related disease. IF you are against "immortality" then you are for letting that many people die everyday.

If you are referring to the way the Geth were built in Mass Effect well.. you probably figured out that it didnt work out well lol

What i proposed was not the same as Geth from Mass Effect. Geth are dependent of each other in order to be intelligent. If you remove a geth from it's network it loses all intelligence. Like an ant. In the scenario i was talking about, humans retain their normal intelligence even if they are disconnected from the network. Only resemblance to the geth is that the network is a collection of all memories and experiences of all humans. People are still individuals that have their own thought processes and ideas, while they are shared among everyone else, a person can still tell which ideas and experiences are his/her own.

That kind of hive mind can be difficult to comprehend and even more difficult to explain.

So the only reason that people do anything is because they know they will die?

I think I exagerated what I have said. There is a lot of things you love to do, and generally you do it at first. But it exists a lot of things you dislike, and you say "I can do it later", at the long term, and be caware of the death is a kind of motivation for doing that.

Quote (DoctorOfSpace)

I disagree. Everyday around 100,000 or more people die from age related disease. If you are against "immortality" then you are for letting that many people die everyday.

To die is a natural fact, and it is a part of our living. I think life would have less sense if you delete the natural death. And a big part of the age related are caused by bad conditions where our forefathers live.

Quote (DoctorOfSpace)

Quote (Salvo) : "I don't want to see my planet get "eaten" by the sun" I'd love to see that.